Latest news with #BrianBurns
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Giants' Front Seven Just Became a Quarterback's Worst Fear
Giants' Front Seven Just Became a Quarterback's Worst Fear originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Giants are looking to bounce back from a historically disappointing 2024 season, and while much attention has focused on drafting quarterback Jaxson Dart, their defense might be the real story heading into 2025. With the addition of third overall pick Abdul Carter alongside established star Brian Burns, the Giants may have assembled one of the most dangerous pass-rushing tandems in the entire league. Advertisement Even before adding Carter, the Giants' defensive front was already considered among the NFL's most talented units with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence. Now, with Carter joining this group, the Giants' pass rush could reach elite levels. What was once a defensive weakness has evolved into potentially the team's greatest strength. Brian Burns proved in his first season with the Giants that the investment was well worth it. He recorded 8.5 sacks, 42 tackles and two forced fumbles while posting a career-high 79.2 Pro Football Focus grade. His 82.9 pass-rush grade and 61 total pressures both represented the second-highest marks of his career. At 27 years old, Burns is entering his prime with the perfect supporting cast around him. Abdul Carter enters the NFL with a college resume that suggests immediate impact potential. The former Penn State star dominated college football in his final season, accumulating 68 total tackles, 12 sacks and two forced fumbles in 16 games. He led the FBS with a 92.4 PFF pass-rush grade and 66 total pressures while ranking in the top five nationally with a 22.6 percent pass-rush win rate. The comparisons to Micah Parsons aren't made lightly—both players share similar physical attributes and the rare ability to impact games from multiple positions. Pro Football Focus has already ranked Carter as the 20th-best pass rusher heading into the 2025 season before he's even taken an NFL snap. Advertisement What makes the Burns-Carter pairing so potentially devastating is how their skill sets complement each other. Burns brings veteran savvy and proven NFL production, while Carter offers explosive athleticism and raw talent. Together with Thibodeaux and Lawrence, the Giants suddenly have four legitimate threats that offensive coordinators must account for on every snap. This depth provides defensive coordinator Shane Bowen with incredible flexibility in game planning and keeps opposing offenses guessing about where pressure will come from. While expectations for the Giants' overall season remain tempered following their 3-14 finish, the emergence of this defensive front could change the trajectory of individual games and potentially the season. In a division featuring high-powered offenses and experienced quarterbacks, having a pass rush capable of consistently disrupting timing could be the difference between respectability and continued struggles. For Giants fans still reeling from last season's disappointment, the potential of watching Burns and Carter terrorize opposing quarterbacks provides genuine reason for optimism as the 2025 season approaches. Related: Edge Rusher Rankings Set High Bar for Giants This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Giants Sign Top Draft Pick to Rookie Contract
The New York Giants got some good, if expected, news on Thursday. According to Adam Schefter, the Giants signed first-round pick Abdul Carter to his fully guaranteed rookie contract. The Penn State edge rusher New York took with the third pick, Carter was among the two blue-chip prospects in the 2025 class. He projects to start opposite Brian Burns along the edge and add to one of the league's best defensive lines. Advertisement Before that, though, he'll get to enjoy his nearly $30 million signing bonus. Schefter pointed out that Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus, and Robert Bailey represent Carter. However, there isn't much negotiation taking place with rookie contracts. They are predetermined by draft slot, leaving agents to discuss offset language and bonus schedules, neither of which has a significant impact on the team or player. Carter's 2025 salary will be $8.3 million, per Jordan Raanan. Of course, as a first-round pick, Carter will have a fifth-year option included in his deal. After Year 3, New York can lock in that fifth season, buying more time for a potential extension and keeping his cost (relatively) low, should he meet expectations. Advertisement Despite playing in a defense with a rotation of pass rushers, Carter will be expected to produce, even as a rookie. There is still development to be had, given he spent just one season as a full-time edge rusher at Penn State. Even so, his draft capital and the New York market will set a high bar. Carter's blend of athleticism, production, and technique makes him a promising piece of the Giants' defense. He is the fourth New York rookie to sign his deal, following tight end Thomas Fidone II, cornerback Korie Black, and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow. Fortunately, there isn't much reason to panic over the others (including first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart), remaining unsigned. Carter, with his jersey number and contract locked in, is set to take on his rookie year and make a good first impression in the process. Advertisement Related: Giants Rookie Abdul Carter Ripped By Legends for Request Related: 3 Questions Will Define Giants' Defense Giants Sign Top Draft Pick to Rookie Contract first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Edge Rusher Rankings Set High Bar for Giants
Edge Rusher Rankings Set High Bar for Giants originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In 2024, the New York Giants hoped that the combination of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Brian Burns would be enough to overpower opposing offenses and make a few extra games attainable. Advertisement Both played well, but the depravity of the Giants' offense cut that dream short. General manager Joe Schoen went back to the well in 2025, drafting Penn State's Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick, the second first-round edge rusher of his tenure. Carter is expected to start over Kayvon Thibodeaux and join Burns for one of the league's best pairings. With Lawrence between them, New York is once again supposed to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines. If 2024's unit was promising, 2025's might be too big to feel. Subsequently, Pro Football Focus' top-32 edge rusher rankings set awfully high expectations for the Giants' pass rush. Burns, the most proven talent New York has along the edge, ranked 16th. Advertisement 'Burns' first season in New York was a success, as he posted a career-high 79.2 PFF grade, fueled by an 82.9 pass-rush grade and 61 total pressures — both the second-highest marks of his career,' Ryan Smith wrote. Carter, despite not having any NFL snaps under his belt, fell just four spots behind him. Thibodeaux took a step forward in 2024, but went unranked on this list. 'Projecting rookie production is always tricky,' Smith admitted. 'However, Carter led the FBS in PFF pass-rush grade (92.4) and total pressures (66), and he also ranked in the top five in pass-rush win rate (22.6%). He has all the tools to make an immediate impact at the NFL level. 'Carter has drawn comparisons to fellow Penn State alum Micah Parsons, who was elite as a rookie in 2021. Given his potential, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Carter crack the top 15 on this list next year.' Advertisement The Giants joined the Houston Texans (Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter), Pittsburgh Steelers (T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith), and Minnesota Vikings (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel) as the only teams with two players in the top 20. Three other teams had multiple in the top 32, and the Steelers and Miami Dolphins each had a trio make the cut. Simply put, New York is supposed to have an elite pass rush. The organization has spent two first-round picks along the edge, another on Lawrence, trading a second-round pick for Burns, and drafted defensive tackle Darius Alexander in Round 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Both Burns and Lawrence signed top-end extensions. Given its importance to the defense and the offensive struggles it will be asked to cover up, the Giants' defensive line is one of the most important units in all of football. This group needs to be elite, and its mix of electric talents and depth make that a fairly safe bet. Related: Carter Reacts to Joining Giants' Loaded Line Related: NFC East Defensive Tackle Rankings: Can Lawrence Carry Giants? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Pair of New York Giants defenders debut new face masks
Pair of New York Giants defenders debut new face masks The NFL is forever making changes to increase the safety of its players, whether it's through rule changes or equipment updates. Helmets are continually undergoing changes to protect the players' skulls and brains from life-changing impacts. With a physical sport like football, you'll never get rid of injuries or prevent every single head trauma, but the league does what it can to protect the players. Players have also begun to get innovative with the facemasks, creating designs that fall within the NFL's regulations that are not only more protective but look cool, too. New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux both debuted new facemasks at organized team activities (OTAs) this week. When Burns comes running at the quarterback this fall, he's doing it with a full grill on his face and a visor that's just, well, cool. He won't look like Dominic Toretto driving a supercharged 1970 Dodge Charger running down the field, no, he's going to look like the Charger itself. Mean. Aggressive. Ready for war. Thibodeaux's mask is a bit less loud than Burns' facemask, but still offers added protection and looks mean while doing it. The visor protecting his eyes from the sun also means opponents can't see where his eyes are looking to determine which direction he's going to run. He may not look like a Charger, but a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is a pretty sweet sidekick. Both of these players' helmet adjustments appear to fit the NFL's regulations, so they should be able to sport these all season long.
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What we're watching at Giants OTAs: How will Abdul Carter fit into OLB rotation?
All eyes will be on the New York Giants' pair of first-round picks when OTAs kick off Wednesday. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, the No. 25 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, has already generated early optimism about his potential to develop into the face of the franchise. Fellow first-rounder Abdul Carter has also generated some early buzz since being selected with the No. 3 pick. Aside from the jersey number 'controversy,' Carter flashed during rookie minicamp, looking every bit the part of a potential difference-maker. Advertisement Given the Giants' plan to slow-play Dart's development, Carter is the rookie with the best chance at making an immediate impact this season. But how will he fit into the Giants' outside linebacker rotation alongside Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux? After covering the offensive position battles to watch last week, it's time to take a closer look at the situation Carter is walking into, along with a couple of other intriguing spots on the defensive depth chart. Let's get to it: The Giants have invested quite a bit of money and draft capital into their outside linebackers room over the past three years. They selected Thibodeaux in the first round at No. 5 in 2022 before trading for Burns last offseason. This year, of course, they took Carter, creating a formidable trio. But how will the playing time be divided, and will someone eventually be asked to leave? The Giants don't seem to be worried about the snap count crunch, as they recently picked up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option, meaning he's locked in with the team through 2026. Whether they decide to pay him long term, however, is another question. After giving Burns a five-year, $141 million deal last offseason, can they afford to sign Thibodeaux to the lucrative contract he'll likely command? That's likely a discussion for another day. For now, it's safe to assume Carter's arrival means Burns and Thibodeaux will be on the field less. That's not a bad thing, as both players should be able to stay fresher throughout games. Burns played nearly 80 percent of the defensive snaps last season in 17 games, while Thibodeaux played 74 percent or more in nine of his 12 games. In terms of all three getting on the field together, Carter can play off the ball, so the Giants could deploy the Penn State product that way, as well as off the edge. Advertisement Earlier this month, Thibodeaux said he was 'super excited' that the Giants drafted Carter. 'That's the outside linebacker position, we're those tweeners,' Thibodeaux said. 'When you look at my skill set, Brian's skill set, Brian is probably better at rushing inside than I am, but I can rush inside. Brian can rush inside. He can rush from depth. I can rush from depth being that linebacker position. So can Abdul. So we'll see how they mix it up, but we'll definitely all be on the field at some point.' Two-time All-Pro Dexter Lawrence is the anchor of the defensive line, but this position room struggled to produce quality play alongside him last season. The Giants' lack of depth became apparent when Lawrence dislocated his elbow in the Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys and missed the rest of the season. But even before that, Lawrence could've used some help, given the consistent double teams he faced throughout the first half of the season. A solid running mate also helps get the best out of Lawrence, whose pressure rate has dipped since Leonard Williams was traded midway through the 2023 season. The Giants made finding a higher-quality running mate for Lawrence a priority this offseason, as they first added veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter to the room. They then went one step further, adding Darius Alexander with their third-round pick. The Giants will likely want Alexander to grow into the role of playing alongside Lawrence, but the sooner he's ready to claim the job, the better. 'We always talk about four hands,' GM Joe Schoen said after Alexander was drafted. 'Oftentimes, there are four hands on Dexter Lawrence, so if you can get somebody on the opposite side of Dexter who can win one-on-ones, that's going to see a lot of one-on-ones, and can win those matchups consistently, that makes it difficult, as well.' Advertisement In theory, this position is set after the Giants spent big in free agency. They signed Paulson Adebo to a three-year, $54 million ($38.5 million guaranteed) deal that was the largest of the contracts that the Giants doled out this offseason. The plan will be for Adebo to join Deonte Banks to create a more stable corner room. But that's if things go to plan. Adebo is coming off a season-ending broken femur. While Adebo has been positive about his recovery, that's still something to monitor. Of course, Banks is coming off a tumultuous season. After being thrust into the CB1 job, he struggled mightily last season — not only with making plays, but his effort was called into question multiple times. Those two will be joined in the secondary by Andru Phillips, who produced an impressive rookie season in the slot. Behind those three are: Cor'Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins and this year's seventh-round selection Korie Black. Flott should be the go-to backup both outside and in the slot, but there's time for Hawkins and even Black to make their mark. Right now, Giants fans should expect to see Adebo and Banks on the outside come Week 1, but this depth chart will be something to monitor through the offseason.
